frustrated the Mughal army in the unfriendly terrain. Unwilling to give up, Abu Torap deputed his commander-in-chief Pir Khan, a Pathan to subdue Sitaram. The latter had set up his artillery along the banks of Madhumati and garrisoned his troops in the jungles in the tract between Madhumati and Barasia. Sitaram's troops met the Mughal army in the banks of Barasia. During the battle, the Mughal army was defeated, and Mir Abu Torap was killed by Mena Hati. Sitaram's army marched forward and captured the fort of Bhusna. Sitaram stationed a section of his army at Bhusna and put himself at the command of the fort. The Mohammadpur fort was put under the command of Mena Hati. The rest of the army was garrisoned along the Madhumati. Sitaram knew that the clash with the Mughals was inevitable. Sitaram, therefore, began to strengthen his army and reinforce his artillery. As the news of Abu Torap's death reached Murshidabad, Murshid Quli Khan immediately appointed his own brother-in-law Bux Ali Khan as the new faujdar of Bhusna. He notified all the zamindars to assist the faujdar in subduing Sitaram. Bux Ali Khan was accompanied to Bhusna by Sangram Singh the commander-in-chief of the provincial army of Bengal. Dayaram Ray, the principal aide of Raghunandan, the founder of the Natore estate, followed them with the zamindar's army under his command. Bux Ali Khan and Sangram Singh went along the Padma and embarked near Faridpur and then marched to Bhusna. Sitaram too marched forward with his troops and in the ensuing battle the Mughals were defeated. The Mughal army surrounded the fort of Bhusna and Sitaram sensed that it would be difficult to hold on to both the forts at Bhusna and Mohammadpur. In the meantime, Dayaram had marched to Mohammadpur with his forces. Knowing that it would not be easy for him to capture the fort in a direct battle, he conspired and had Mena Hati killed by sabotage, sending his severed head to Murshidabad. On receiving the news of Mena Hati's death, Sitaram retreated to Mohammadpur with most of his troops. Bux Ali Khan, too, followed him to Mohammadpur. Sitaram evacuated most of the civilian population from the fort and sent his family to Kolkata. Dayaram and Bux Ali Khan attacked the fort from the east and the south. After defending the fort for a long time, Sitaram was captured and Mohammadpur fell.